Homemade Elderberry Syrup

Confession: I plan more projects than any 2 people could accomplish in one lifetime!

One such project was making elderberry syrup before Abigail was due to arrive...

which didn't happen, obviously!

And now since all 3 little Ms are battling a cold and

 I'm on the tail end of "Larynyitis", I finally got this project completed...

hopefully better late than never:/

What is elderberry syrup?  

This is a great post about elderberry & it's many attributes- 

key benefits: fights multiple strains of flu and builds immunity support- yes, please!

Elderberry syrup can be purchased but it's pricey, hence why I opted to make it:)

I started with organic dried elderberries (Amazon)...

...measured out 1/2 cup of the dried elderberries 

and added to 3 cups of boiling water in a saucepan...

...after simmering for 30-40 mins, there should be approx 1 1/2 cups of elderberry juice- 

allow this to cool and strain...

...and then add 1/2 cup honey.

TIP: Raw honey is recommended but local works too!

Ta da!  Now your elderberry syrup is ready to use- store in the fridge for 2-3 months.

Dosage:

Preventative: 1 Tbsp/daily for adults & 1 tsp/daily for children over 1 year

Illness: 1 Tbsp/2-3 hrs for adults & 1 tsp/2-3 hrs for children over 1 year.

How does my homemade version compare in price?  

About a tenth of the pre-made price tag!  Well worth the few minutes to make:)

Coincidentally, the kids love this as it's so sweet:)

Get well soon,

Tiffany

Paper Pumpkin Kit

In the midst of having "Larynyitis" and preparing for Livy's Minnie Mouse birthday party,

 I spent a few minutes crafting some cards.

This 'Wahoo' card came in a kit (all supplies, even the stamps & ink, included!) as a set of 4 cards- I was able to create all 4 in under 30 minutes:)

I love the buttons and gender neutral color scheme:)

If you like what you see, you can receive a similar crafting kit, 

sent right to your door each month through 'Paper Pumpkin'! 

Contact Gramma to get signed up for your Paper Pumpkin kit!

Having 30 minutes to craft each month, with no guesswork involved, is SO satisfying:)

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany

DIY Minnie Mouse Decor- Stage 1

Remember this picture?  Here is my next party project in process.

 Well, after painting some white Styrofoam spheres with black craft paint, I added toothpicks...

...to make these!

TIP: the spheres can be found at craft stores or at Dollar Tree- 

I used some from both!

Next I added some polka dot ribbon, cinched with tiny pins to create a quick "bow"- 

I wanted something a bit understated vs a massive bow for this project.

These will be placed on some sort of dowel and placed in an arrangement for the party.

I hope Minnie approves- Livy did!

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany

DIY Minnie Mouse Picture Frame

So after much deliberating, planning & discussing,
Olivia will be celebrating her 4th birthday with a classic Minnie Mouse themed party:)

And as I'm scurrying to get details in order, props in place and
new projects rolling, I started with this simple DIY endeavor: a custom frame.

I took an unfinished, $ frame from the craft store and topped it with some red craft paint-
the cut out was already present.

Next I took some scalloped polka dot ribbon and adhered it to the sides with
my handy dandy hot glue gun...



and made a bow the same way.



Finally I looked at some Disney font and free handed
the birthday girl's name and some funky "ears" with a Sharpee-
I'm afraid I never did well in art class:/

Livy was thrilled with the results though &  it should look sweet
nestled on the mantle during the party, 

complete with a photo of Livy & Minnie Mouse:)



 Until I can get Livy to model her skirt, here's my next party project in process:)

Thanks for stopping by,
Tiffany

"Larynyitis"

 

Yesterday was Valentines Day and "Ricky" & I celebrated at home with some Chinese take out since both Livy & Jonah are fighting colds & I've been under the weather with some kind of cold/allergy fiend that won't relent...

...and feels like "Larynyitis"!

In "Making Room for Danny", Lucy is afflicted with "Larynyitis" from a snowball fight, leaving her with little to no voice...

...and I'm feeling her pain...

...while enjoying a few silent chuckles:)

Praying everyone will be back to normal ASAP so I can share more Disney magic:)

DIY Mickey Mouse T Shirt

We have an upcoming Disney vacation planned, so I've opted to DIY a few clothing items...

...this is a first time attempt for me and so far, I'm quite pleased:)

This project is for Jonah so I started with a basic white T shirt.  These can be found anywhere including craft stores- I found mine, brand new at our favorite resale shop for $2:)

Next I used a coupon for some cotton, iron on sheets that are printer compatible...

...downloaded the free image from Disney Movie Rewards, printed and got my iron ready...

...no fuss and in approx 30 seconds, the shirt was complete!

One of the easiest DIY projects I've attempted and I can't wait for him to showcase it while enjoying the Magic Kingdom:)

Next I'll be sharing Livy's DIY Minnie Mouse skirt:)

Thanks for stopping by,

Tiffany

Welcome, Rosebud

I've finally sat down to sort through some photos of Baby Abigail, our newest arrival to the Ricardo residence- her name means "Joy of the Father" and she has already brought much joy to our home:)

So without further ado, here she is:

All bundled up in her strawberry ensemble, leaving the hospital...

Abby arrived home, just in time for Thanksgiving...

 ...where Livy exerted herself as 'sole protector' of her "baby stister":)

Despite some rough beginnings with a dairy intolerance, she began sleeping well...

...preferably while being held:)

Jonah began gingerly acclimating to having "Abby" present...

...while she began to explore her new world:)

 A favorite spot for Rosebud is seeing herself in the mirror of our bathroom:)

Abigail loves to talk...

...and smiles profusely, even while sleeping...

...of course, you can see who she's already taking after:)

And here's our Rosebud, all ready for church:)

Look forward to sharing more of our precious new addition & the adventures we've had over the past 2 months.

Tiffany